Preaching the Minor Prophets

Practical Instruction - Persuasive Preaching - Small Group Practice

Since the founding of the organization, our intention has been to keep the registration fees for both the Workshops on Biblical Exposition and the Online Courses as low and affordable as possible for the working pastor. And we believe, compared to similar organizations and conferences for ministry leaders, that we have been successful. Please contact us should the fee policy have a detrimental effect on your ability to participate in the Workshops on Biblical Exposition or the Online Courses. It is not our intention to exclude anyone on the basis of their ability to pay the registration or tuition fee alone. And while we cannot promise that we will have the ability to revise this policy on an individual basis or make exceptions, we would like the opportunity to try.

WORKSHOPS ON BIBLICAL EXPOSITION
The Workshops on Biblical Exposition have registration rates as listed (of which $25 is a nonrefundable deposit regardless of rate).

ONLINE COURSESThe registration fees for Online Course are as listed. Additional add-on fees such as the various “seminary credit” options are completely nonrefundable as, in each case, those fees are passed along to another organization (e.g. the seminary). No exceptions are possible.

CANCELLATION POLICY
Workshop and Course registration costs and their respective nonrefundable deposits will be posted on the Charles Simeon Trust website. In the event that the Charles Simeon Trust cancels a Workshop or an Online Course in progress or prior to the commencement of the Workshop or Course, a full refund of all paid fees will be made to participants who were participating. In the event of a cancellation prior to the commencing of a Workshop, Course, or other training event, a full refund of all paid fees will be made to all participants. Only registered and paid participants (paid partial or in full) will be eligible for a refund. Refunds will take approximately two weeks from confirmed cancellation date to return. Registration for and participation in a Workshop, Course, or other training event constitutes an acknowledgment of these policies as well as an assumption responsibility while attending a Workshop, Course, or other training event. Participation in a Workshop, Course, or other training event also constitutes a waiver of all liability for the Charles Simeon Trust insofar as Workshops, Courses, and training events do not occur on Charles Simeon Trust property.

WITHDRAWAL
In the event that a participant requests to withdraw from a Workshop, Course, or training event (i.e. cancel their own registration) before the event or Course has commenced, a refund of the registration fee (minus the nonrefundable deposit) will be issued. Once the Workshop, Course, or training event has begun, we are unable to offer any refund. Refunds will usually be credited to the credit card that was used to purchase the registration or returned via check.

ERRORS AND OMISSIONS
We do our best to provide our participants with the most accurate information. In the event that an error does occur, we will attempt to contact participants to make them aware of the error. However, we reserve the right to correct or cancel an order at any time, and/or edit an order to reflect the correction, and/or correct the error on our website.

PHOTO/VIDEO/AUDIO RELEASE
As part of our training platform includes the distribution of digital recordings (including audio, videographic, and photographic), participation in a Workshop, Course, or other training event constitutes permission to the Charles Simeon Trust to use, reproduce, and/or publish photographs and/or video that may pertain to the participants, including their image, likeness and/or voice without compensation. Participation indicates that a participant understands that recorded material may be used in various publications, public affairs releases, recruitment materials, or other related endeavors. This material may also appear on the Charles Simeon Trust’s website. This authorization is continuous. If a participant’s privacy is of concern, please contact us and we will do our best to accommodate specific requests.

The Workshops on Biblical Exposition is a 3-day training event aimed to encourage and equip you in the skills needed to read, understand, and proclaim the Word of God. The Workshop includes times set aside for 1) Principles of Exposition (instructional sessions on how to better handle biblical texts), 2) Small Group Practice (when you will share and receive feedback on two passages you prepare in advance), and 3) Expositions (the opportunity to sit under the word). Each of these sessions is carefully designed to be interrelated for the greatest value in improving your work. In other words, this is a Workshop and not a conference. If you cannot be at all the sessions, then it really isn’t for you.

Who Should Attend?

The Workshops on Biblical Exposition are generally for people who are responsible for regularly preaching and teaching. We also welcome those in bi-vocational ministries as well as those training for ministry.

The Workshops on Biblical Exposition are generally for men who are responsible for regularly preaching and teaching. We also welcome those in bi-vocational ministries as well as those training for ministry. We also have Workshops for women who are responsible for teaching women.Given our understanding of Scripture, most of our Workshops on Biblical Exposition are for men who are responsible for regularly opening up God’s Word for God’s people. Specifically, they are for those men currently in pastoral ministry and, as such, are responsible for preaching and teaching God’s Word in congregational settings. Though vocational preaching pastors are our priority, the Workshops are open to those in general teaching ministry: including some lay-preachers, teaching Elders, seminary students or professors, teaching missionaries, and those serving in similar roles. Again, our priority is those who regularly preach or teach from God’s Word.

I noticed you just said “men.” What if I am a woman?We are fully committed to training women for ministry through our Workshops on Biblical Exposition for women. But we also have theological commitments as to what that means. The Charles Simeon Trust adheres to a position on church leadership that is often identified as “complementarian.” While we do not support the ordination of women for pulpit ministry, we do believe that women are called to teaching ministry for women in biblically appropriate settings and should be trained for it as such. It is our conviction that the Church in North America has been particularly slow in this kind of training effort, and as such, we need to do a better job of training women. Women need to be equipped for this task. While the local church should and will do much of this work, we believe that we can support the church in further enabling women. As such, we have established Workshops on Biblical Exposition for women in ministry. We believe that women who are working in ministry in churches need encouragement in their ministry and hope that, by encouraging women to participate in the Workshop for women in ministry, we can also establish a base for fellowship and encouragement. Knowing this, women who wish to attend a Workshop on Biblical Exposition, regardless of where they identify themselves on an egalitarian-complementarian spectrum, are welcome to participate in a Workshop for women in ministry. It is designed for women who are currently in a teaching ministry with the responsibility to teach the Bible regularly. It is open to women who lead in regular teaching ministries including large group instructors, small group teachers, and women’s and children’s ministry leaders appointed by their churches. Women who are interested in this Workshop or have questions about our position or philosophy on this matter are encouraged to contact the Director of Women’s Workshops, Colleen McFadden (cmcfadden@simeontrust.org).

How Should I Prepare?

The most important aspect of a Workshop is the time in Small Groups. As such, it is essential that each person arrives prepared for these sessions. You will need to be prepared to present on 2 different passages.

The most important aspect of a Workshop is the time in Small Groups. As such, it is essential that each person arrives prepared for these sessions. You will need to be prepared to present on 2 different passages. We have created a guide for helping you get started.

Leaders

James Seward

Senior Pastor, Maple Avenue Baptist Church

James Seward is Senior Pastor of Maple Avenue Baptist Church. Before that, he served as Associate Pastor at the First Baptist Church of Lindale, Texas. James completed his undergraduate education at the University of Chicago, where he was also part of the founding core of Holy Trinity Church and served as a pastoral intern. He went on to complete a master’s degree in the Biblical Exegesis program at Wheaton College where he also served on the pastoral staff of College Church under Kent Hughes. James has traveled to Vietnam to train pastors and has been involved with the Workshops on Biblical Exposition for more than 10 years.

Mike Bullmore

Senior Pastor, CrossWay Community Church

Mike serves as Senior Pastor of CrossWay Community Church in Bristol, Wisconsin. Mike earned a diploma in Bible and Theology at Moody Bible Institute and a BA in Biblical Studies from Wheaton College. He then earned an MDiv and ThM from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, followed by a PhD in Rhetorical History and Criticism from Northwestern University. Prior to leading the launch of CrossWay Community Church in 1998, Mike served for 15 years as an Associate Professor of Homiletics and Pastoral Theology, as well as chairman of the Practical Theology Department at TEDS. He also serves on the council of The Gospel Coalition.